We can do it with some pack reinforcements who we can sign/loan until the end of the season. There is too much disruption to the squad on a weekly basis caused by short term loans. Let's hope the new owners can call in some favours

There's 14 points available in the bottom 8's with a few additions before we get there starting with Chissy it's all to play for
Keep the faith

At the moment, not a chance we can stay up. The passion and pride is there, but we lack experience, strength and ability.
Without some experienced props, who are not going to just disappear when they are called back, we have no chance at all.
Now with injuries to Pryce, Roche, Keyes, Peltier, Smith, etc, we need some new bodies in and we need them fast.
Over to you Chalmers and Lowe....

Today's result was always on the cards. We can't continue as we are if ChaLowe are genuine about keeping this club in the Championship.

It is very disappointing that Cha-Low have failed to do the big obvious thing and bring some size and experience into the pack. This was from the off the elephant in the room that could kill our chances of survival and sadly they have failed to fix it.

Not too late yet, but Cha-Low have put us behind the 8-ball. Why, I don't know. Maybe they really really don't have any money that they want to put in to give us a chance.

Anyhoo with a pack we'll scrape survival, as we are, we won't. This much is obvious to everyone else so I assume they clearly know.

And don't give me any crap about nobody being available, there's always people available from somewhere. We used to be the only club in the world incapable of finding a scrum half, now it's props. I'm seriously worried. Our young lads have done miraculously but the pigeons have come home to roost at Easter and we shouldn't be gambling on the kids to survive because everyone surely can see that's a losing bet.

I'm trying to look at it this way. Half the season is gone and we have earned 10 points to get us to minus 2.. Do that again in the second half and we will finish on 8.

Swinton and Dews may finish the first half of the season on 4 points. Do that again in the second half and they will finish on 8. Our points difference is far superior to theirs so we would potentially be ahead of them going into the bottom 8 competition.

There will then be another 14 points to play for.

There is a long way to go yet.

However with the injuries we now have I agree, reinforcements are now a necessity. You would hope that the likes of Leeds and Salford will send us Murray and Oledski now for the rest of the season given that they haven't played them at all in the first half of the season and have just got past the hardest weekend of the year.

It's not that simple though, is it...

1. We can't sign anyone from overseas until this blasted visa situation is finally resolved (hopefully it very soon will be?)

2. We can't sign any available part-time players because we can't pay them enough to go full-time

So, by [i'available' [/iwhat we actually mean is [i'available existing full-time players resident in the UK[/i' which limits the pool somewhat.

I just spent an idle half hour trawling through SL squad lists looking for props who might be available on anything more than a short term loan (a season long loan for example) but really couldn't find much. I'd be interested to see any names - even the perennially quoted Ryan Bailey is no longer available.

That's the point though, we can't afford to gamble our survival on loanees maybe being available.

And it's now nearly May, and everyone else in the world has a serviceable pack, we failed, stop making excuses for them. It was their job not yours or mine.

Everyone's else didn't start in January trying to assemble one either

Surely those in charge were selected because of the expertise and top experience they have in the game. Therefore, it surely must follow that they need to invest in team strengthening quickly. Without financial backing, how on earth can we get back on the ladder?..There is still a stadium to maintain as well, so which would be the cart and which the horse? Even with the best supporters in the World success needs to be an option otherwise attendances will fall.This really is hardly in the best interests of the Club as behind the scenes delays are impacting on it with every game lost.Time for someone to show they are not only at the helm, but steering us on a true co.

The team need to realise that if they keep losing games by their mistakes it will be too late to put things right

I imagine they know that. But to be fair, their mistakes didn't lose them the game today. They didn't help, of course they didn't. But mistakes come with fatigue and having a load of 18/19/20 year olds getting a hammering by big old gnarly forwards week in week out is going to wear them out.

Well, at least that statement lightened the mood.

We are not paying the ground maintenance or rent as part of the arrangements, and people can bleat on about some crazy notion that there is no prop alive who we could have got but sorry, its nonsense, a man with wallet and willing could have assembled a functional pack, it didn't need to be the best pack in the world. I'm just sat here watching Sidlow Bailey and Moi Moi that Toronto signed from nowhere in short order, and the rest of their squad.

Josh Johnson & Ryan Bailey both signed for teams at the same level or lower than us, after the season had started. At the right price, I'm sure they would have been available.

Don't get me wrong, if they wanted more money than we can afford, I don't want to spend it. I'd rather get relegated than end up in admin again because we spent too much. But they WERE available and for one reason or another, we didn't sign them.

If we don't sign some forwards we are screwed.

Methinks it's time these two came out of hiding and made a statement of intent!

Reminds me of the Fax team that got relegated from SL. So many young players with potential but simply not ready for the rigours of playing against good opposition week in week out. Thats a tough looking fixture list and it must be a worry that it is Swinton that are seen as the team that you could overtake as in my opinion they are in a false position and are a better team than results suggest.

unless we bring in 3+ players in the next two weeks our goose is cooked,
if Chissy mess is sorted , phoenix actually gets here and we bring in some forwards then we stand a chance..

But what about if we don't have the wallet? I'm sure you'll moan as much as anyone if we go pop again. Toronto dwarf us in financial backing and Hull KR is a much more attractive club than us. The players you mentioned are at the end of their careers and would rightly choose more money beating teams 80+than coming to us for a tough campaign. Also remember Sidlow has endured 2 admins and no payments with us. That probably made his decision for him.

there are things at the moment that frustrate me. The appalling press releases, the debacle with Chisholm (Us probably being naive enough to fall into the Sheffield trap) But in terms of signings we're massively behind the eight ball in terms of visas, where we are in the table, finances and our gutter reputation. I said at the beginning of the season players probably won't be available until after Easter. I expect there to be some movement in the next 2 months.

Im with FA there has to be players available now easter is over. As much as I enjoyed watching him last season, what on earth is the point in signing Chisholm with nothing in front of him. I know there is another thread about him but supposedly Fev offered him 90k to sign (no idea if true or not) yet he signed for us! This isnt about Chissy its what are we paying him that could have tempted a forward or possibly 2. For me Joe Keyes is more than capable of being our go to man in the halves. The prop situation needs addressing before the next game otherwise we will burn out and be relegated. The reluctance in spending only tells me they know someting we dont about the restructuring and we will be safe regardless! For people qith so much rugby experience I cant believe they cant see whats the most obvious

Then whyTF buy a wannabe SL club?????????????????????????????????????????????

Lilley back at L*@&s, Leon shot to bits, Keyes broken ankle.

Maybe a good shout signing Chisolm

I would be very surprised to see much strengthening before the bottom 8 play off - If the Bulls have a chance to save the season then I think Investment will be made via Loanees from SL clubs not involved in Top 4 maybe such as Evalds, Walne, Evans, LMS, Lee etc . We will see.

Assuming Saints aren't in the top 4 but are stil in the top eight and with a new coach. Coming in why would they loan us players? Do they owe us some favors?